A couple of years ago, South Carolina Sportsman featured an incredible story about Bryson Longshore, a 13-year-old Newberry middle-school student who killed a 20-inch, 8-point buck at a cool 600 yards.
The story sparked debate on how long a shot was too long, and whether is it responsible to attempt such a shot, especially from what readers perceived to be an inexperienced hunter.
Eddie Wilson, Longshore’s uncle and a witness to the feat, said all of the elements described above were in place which allowed him to score a kill at 600 yards.
“The distance was known on the day he made that shot,” said Wilson. “We had the right equipment. He was using my 7mm Ultra-Mag which had been sighted in for this distance, hunting along a power line on our property. Plus, the boy is a good shot. He’s shot with us and knew he could make the shot and he did.”
No rules govern how far a shot at a deer in South Carolina may be attempted, and some hunters may approach a trophy deer with the “Wonder if I can hit that deer?” mentality.
The deciding factor would be a self analysis beforehand, knowing whether the elements of dependable equipment and ammo, an appropriate skill level and a solid rest are in place, so you’re not just throwing up a Hail Mary and hoping for the best.
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